MacPherson strut front suspension

Abstract

A MacPherson strut front suspension is provided with an upper spring seat assembly which retains the upper end of a front coil spring and is rotatable together with the coil spring and a strut outer tube relative to a vehicle body. The upper spring seat assembly comprises concentric inner and outer tubular members, a spring seat rubber interconnecting the inner and outer tubular members, and a shallow dish-shaped abutment member which is attached to the inner tubular member to be rotatable together therewith and abuttingly engageable to limit upward movement of the outer tubular member relative to the inner tubular member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A MacPherson strut suspension comprising: an upright strut assembly having a strut outer tube and a shock absorber received therein, said strut outer tube being adapted to carry at the lower end thereof a steering road wheel, said shock absorber having a piston rod projecting upwardly from the upper end of said strut outer tube to be resiliently and pivotally connected to a vehicle body;   a coil spring placed around said strut outer tube and said piston rod;   a lower spring seat secured to said strut outer tube and retaining the lower end of said coil spring; and   an upper spring seat assembly having concentric inner and outer tubular members, said inner tubular member being rotatably mounted to the vehicle body, said outer tubular member being adapted to retain the upper end of said coil spring, said upper spring seat assembly also having a spring seat resilient member resiliently interconnecting said inner and outer tubular members and an abutment member attached to said inner tubular member to rotate together therewith and engagable with said outer tubular member to limit upward movement of same relative to said inner tubular member, said inner tubular member being in the form of having a tubular wall portion and an annular inward flange portion at the upper end of said tubular wall portion thereof, said inner tubular member being mounted at said annular inward flange portion thereof on a bearing which is in turn mounted on the vehicle body.   
     
     
       2. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 1, wherein said annular inward flange portion has at the inner periphery thereof a circular projection in the form of a bent edge, said circular projection being operative to position said inner tubular member in relation to said bearing. 
     
     
       3. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 2, wherein said outer tubular member is in the form of having a tubular wall portion which cooperates with said tubular wall portion of said inner tubular member to define therebetween an annular space, and also having at the upper end of said tubular wall portion thereof an annular outward flange portion which forms a seat on which the upper end of said coil spring is seated. 
     
     
       4. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 3, wherein said spring seat resilient member is a single piece rubber of annular configuration, said spring seat resilient member being fitted in said annular space and secured at the respective inner and outer circumferential walls thereof to said tubular wall portions of said inner and outer tubular members. 
     
     
       5. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 5, wherein said spring seat resilient member is formed from a plurality of separate pieces of rubber which are fitted in said annular space at equal spaces and secured to said tubular wall portions of said inner and outer tubular members. 
     
     
       6. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 4 or 5, wherein said abutment member is in the form of a shallow dish and has a central opening for engagement with said circular projection which is further operative to position said abutment member in relation to said inner tubular member, said abutment member being firmly clamped at a portion thereof around said central opening between said annular inward flange of said inner tubular member and said bearing, said abutment member further having an annular flat abutment wall portion which is located above said outward flange portion of said outer tubular member and spaced therefrom a predetermined distance for limitedly allowing said spring seat rubber to deform elastically. 
     
     
       7. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 6, further comprising first and second flange rubber members which are respectively attached to the upper and lower faces of said outward flange portion of said outer tubular member, said first flange rubber being operative to provide insulation between said outer tubular member and said abutment member, said second flange rubber being operative to provide insulation between the upper end of said coil spring and said outward flange portion of said outer tubular member. 
     
     
       8. A MacPherson strut suspension as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a bumper rubber mounted on said piston rod at a location between the upper end of said strut outer tube and said inward flange portion of said inner tubular member.